Voting machine



M. FLOROt VOTING MACHINE.

IIPPLICATIQN FILED APR'. I8, I92I.

1,425,955. Patented Aug. 1 5, 1922.

l j? IIIIIIIIIII Imm@ M. FLORO.

VOTINGMACHINE.

APPLICATION FILEDV APR. 1a, 1921.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

4 SHEEiS-SHEET 2.

M. FLORO.A

VOTING MACHINE.

APPrrlcATIoN FILED APR. 18, 1921.

Patented Aug. 15,1922..

M. lFLORO.

VOTING MACHINE.l APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, 1921.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

SP1/vanto@ NHPT//wwfZo/PU MARTINIANO FLORO, OF CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS.

VOTING MACHINE.

Specification of 'Letters Patent. Patented Allg; 15., 1922.

Application led April 18, 1921;' Serial No. 462,223.

To all whom t may concer/a: I e

Be it known that I, MARTINiANo FLono, a citizen of the United States,residing at Champaign, in the county of Champaign and State of Illinois,`have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voting Machines,of which the following `is a specification. Y f

'Ihis invention relates to voting machines, and it comprises a casing, aplurality `of Counters or registering machines arranged in said casing,levers connected thereto, saidv levers being provided with means forarranging suitable indicia thereon to identity different candidates,means for retaining said lever in withdrawn position after voting toprevent duplicate voting, means for returning said lever to operativeposition, and means for locking said levers to prevent unauthorizedvoting. .y

In the present invention, I have provided a voting machine whicheliminates the ne* cessity oi' writing ballots and counting them afterthe votes have been cast. The naines and pictures oi` the candidates, orother 'suitable indicia, are arranged on suitable levers connected toindividual counters or registering machines, and when the voter pressesthe lever, the vote is registered. The voting machine is adapted to bearranged in a booth or other container, and an electric y anelectro-magnet arranged adjacent said lever, and the lever is retainedin withdrawn position until the circuit is opened when the voter leavesthe booth. It is, therefore, impossible for a voter to cast. more thanone vote for a single candidate.

After the voting has been completed, and before the machine is opened toshow the result, the levers may be locked in inoper- `ative position toprevent unauthorized voting -for any candidate.

In the 'accompanying drawings, I have shown one embodiment ot theinvention. In this showing:

Figure l is a perspective view of the machine, f

Figure 2 is a `front elevation `with a portion of the front plateremoved,

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical view of the machine, i

Figure a is a plan view with the cover in open position and the topplate partially removed, and, f i

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view oi the electric circuits.

sectional Referring to the drawings, the'reference numeral l designatesa box or receptacle provided with ai hinged cover-2, and a hinged plate8. Suitable handlesll may be arranged on the ends of the box for theypurpose of transportation. A top plate 5 is arranged within the box,the' plate being adapted to be received in grooves or recesses in theside and end walls of the box. When the front-plate is in closedposition, the top plate is retained in position and cannot be l removeduntil the front plate is opened. As shown, the iront plate may beretained in closed position by means et a lock 6.

A- suitable `shelf or bracket 7-is arranged within the box adapted toreceive and support al plurality of vertical standards or yokes 8.Levers 9 are pivotallyv supported in said yokes or standards. Theselevers are provided with openingsnearone end, having pins l0 arrangedtherein and adapted to receive the forked end 11 of an operating rod l2.The operating rod is'provided with an enlarged head 13, on whichsuitable indicia let indicating different candidates may be arranged. Asshown, the top plate is provided with openings l5 arranged over theheads oit' the .operating rods. The pivoted lever 9 is provided with alinlrl, connected to a lever 17, arranged on a coun.- ter 1S. As shown,a vplate 19 is arranged in Afront of the counters, randthis plate isprovided with a plurality ot openings 20, to

permit reading `of the counters from the v rial adapted to be attractedby an` electro.-

magnet 23 when the rmagnet is energized.r

Acoil spring 24 is attached to the lever and to the sheli or bracket 7to` retain the lever in the full line position when the magnet isdeenergized. A copper rod 25 extends longitudinally of the casing at therear, being supported in suitable brackets 26. Une of these brackets isprovided with a binding post 27, `adapted to be connected to a leadvvire Q8. .ne electr 1 -ma.gnct 23 is connected to a lead Wire 29, and.when the lever is depressed to the dotted line position, a circuit iscompleted through the copper rod 25, the lever 9, the post or standardS, and thence through vthe magnet b v a connection B between the post orstaiulard and the magnet.

Referring to Figure ot the drawings wherein the circuit isdiagramnnitically illustrated., the Wires 2S and 2S are connected to asource ot current Si.. A. switch. 3Q is arranged in one of theconnections7 and this switch may be connected to the door ot a booth(not shown)7 in 'which the voting luachine is arranged so that thecircuit will be closed when the voter enters the. booth and ivill remainclosed until he leaves. It the machine iS not arranged in a booth, theswitch may be operated by the supervisor ot elections or other officialto maintain a closed circuit While each voter is casting his vote. TheWires 28 and Q9 magY be connected by a branch wire 233, having a lamp orother signal 53a arranged therein, vvhicl'i may be positioned on theoutside ol the booth to enable the supervisin' or elections to see thatthe circuit rcnuiins closed While the voter is in the booth.

Means are provided tor locking the ina-- chine after the votes have beencast. As shown7 a rod or shaft 35 is supported in suitable brackets 3G,and this rod is provided with a pluraliti7 ot blocks or locking members`When the block or hieling member is in the tull line position shoivn inFigure 3 oit the drawings, the pivoted lever 9 is Ytree to operate7 butwhen. turned at right angles to arrange its major axis in a verticalplane7 it engages the lever and retains it in inoperative position. A.leek 3S may be arranged in one of the side walls ot the easing to permitoperation oli the locking members.

The operating rods .l2 ma)1 be provided with enlargements or collars 39which are adapted to engage a plate 4.0, arranged below the top plate tolimit the 'upward movement of the levers.

In operation7 the circuit is normally open when the voter enters thebooth, and the levers are in the tull line position shown in Figure 3 otthe drawings. When the voter enters the booth, the circuit closed, byswitch 32, and the lamp die is lighted. This lamp should remain lightedthe entire time the voter is in the booth to indicate that the circuithas not been broken. The lamp is preteral'ily arranged on the outside otthe booth Where it may be seen by the election officers and otherpersons. To vote tor candidates tor the different olfices, it is merelynecessar)T iter the voter to depress the pivoted levers 9, bearing thenaine or other indicia of the ollicer by applying suitable pressure withthe linger or other instrument to the enlarged head le oli the lever l2.

connections .l/o and l?. the vote is registered on the counter lo. lVheuthe lever is moved on its pivot in the voting operation, it engages thecopper rod to close the circuit and energize the magnet. The magnet thenattracts the iron plate 2;. secu red to the lever, and the lever isretained in inoperative position. shon'n. in dotted lines. lt will beapiiarei'it that as long as the circuit remains closed, the levers Ywillremain in inoperative position and it is thev tore7 inn possible to castmore than one vote ttor a given candidate. As the voter leaves the boothand the switch 3Q is orarued. lthc manjnet is deenergized and the spring24; returns the lever to operative position. The strength ot the spring2stshould be calculated to bc sutticient to return the lever tooperative position but insullicient to overconie the attrae tion et' themagnet tor the iron. plate When the voters have cast their balles:` themachine may be loclred in inoperative position. by means et theloeking'rod ilo. and Y."he locking nien'ibers lT. The machine is then\.arrie fl to the oliirer designated to iouut the votes, and the irontplate il opened bj; uuloelzing loch (i. The total ma); then be.innnediatelv ascertained without the neccssi l ojl counting individualballots.

It .is to be understood that the torni et in)r invention herewith shown.and described is te be talren as a preerredv example oit the same, andthat various changes in the shape, sii/ie, and arrangement. oi parts maybe fil) resorted to 'without departing trom the spirit oil the inventionor the scope ot the sub joined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. A voting machinecomprising a counter? an operating lever connected to said counter, an.elceti'o--inagnet arranged. adjacent said lever and adapted. to retainit in. inoperative position. when. the magnet is energized. a rod.connected to a Source et .;u|freut, means 'tor completing a circuittlnfough said .inagnct. and connecting means betiviizen. said` rod andsaid. magnet Yto energim said magnet when the lever is dein'essed.

2. )i voting machine comprising a counter, a lever connected to saideoiiiiitergaii electromagnet arriuiged adjacent said lever and adaptedto retain it in inoperative position when the magnet .is energizerh anelectric conductor connected to a.. source et current, means torestablishing a circuit ilrom said conductor through the electro-magi'ietwhen the lever is operated, remote means ttor opening said circuit.. andmeans tor .returning said lever to operative position. when the circuitopened.

3. A. vot-ing machine comprising a counter;y an operatinglever connectedt said counter. an eleetroauaguet arranged adjacent said lever, anelectric conductor arranged adjacent said magnet, means for establishinga circuit through said magnet when the lever is operated to retain thelever in inoperative position, means for opening said circuit todeenergize the magnet, and a spring to return the lever to normalposition when the magnet is deenergized.

4. A voting machine comprising a casing, a counter arranged therein, apivoted `lever arranged in said casing, an operating `rod connected tosaid lever and terminating adjacent the top of the casing, atop platearranged above the upper ends oi said levers, said plate being providedwith an opening to permit depression of said operating rod, an operatingconnection between said lever and said counter to register eachactuation or' the lever, an electro-magnet arranged adjacent said leverand adapted to retain the lever in inoperative position when energized,and means for energizing said magnet upon actuation of said lever.

5. A voting machine comprising a casing, a counter arranged 1n saidcasing, a pivoted lever arranged in said casing and connected with saidcounter to register each actuation of the lever, an operating rodconnected to said pivoted lever, said operating rod terminating adjacentthe top of the casing, a top plate arranged over said lever, said platebeing provided with an `opening arranged above said operating rod, anelectroymagnet*arranged adjacent said lever and adapted to retain thelever in inoperative position when energized, an electric conductorarranged in said casing, said con ductor being adapted to engagesaidpivoted a lever `upon actuation thereof, means 'for essaid magnetWhen the lever is operated to re: f

osition, and

tain the lever ininoperative l remote means or'opening sai circuit.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MARTINIANO FLORO.

Witnesses:

- O'r'ro H. HEDRICH, Jr.,v j jHrSpCAroDY.

